


Being There

by tptigger



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Derek is better at being a big brother than being an alpha, Episode: s03e19 Letharia Vulpina, Gen, Pack Family, Pack Feels, Season/Series 03B Spoilers, i'd tag isaac but he spends most of the story unconscious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-24
Updated: 2014-02-24
Packaged: 2018-01-13 14:32:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1229965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tptigger/pseuds/tptigger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek and Scott gather the pack to help Isaac in the wake of Letharia Vulpina</p>
            </blockquote>





	Being There

**Author's Note:**

> If you missed it in the tags or the summary, this story contains spoilers for Letharia Vulpina and will likely be Jossed when 3.20 airs. 
> 
> The story basically is me asking the question "Why isn't Isaac healing and how do we solve that?" (Other than maybe Daniel Sharman was working elsewhere, I mean.)
> 
> There is a background mention of Lydia/Aiden, but it's so brief I didn't want to tag it. Thanks to ladyslvr for brainstorming and help with the problematic sentence structures.

Derek was sitting in the waiting room when Scott finally emerged from the animal clinic. 

"Stiles?" Derek closed the magazine he'd been thumbing through, looking at Scott expectantly.

"His dad's here. Deaton kicked me out, says there isn't more we can do until he wakes up. Too soon to tell at any rate." Scott rubbed the bridge of his nose, looking at the floor. He looked up at Derek, eyes searching. "Wait, weren't you arrested?"

Derek sighed and rolled up his right pant leg. Around his ankle was a metal cuff with blinking lights. "Don't ask."

"Okay," Scott frowned. "I'm meeting my mom at the hospital to check up on Isaac, see if he's started healing yet. You want to come?"

Derek sprung to his feet. "He's still not healing? Not good. Have Alison, Lydia, and if they'll come, the twins meet us there."

"The twins?" Scott asked, looking at Derek blankly. More importantly, he wasn't moving.

Derek laid a had on Scott's shoulder, guiding him towards the door. "There's only two possible reasons that Isaac isn't healing." He opened the door, pushing Scott through it when the younger man hesitated. "Either he's in too much pain to heal, or for some reason he thinks he doesn't deserve to. If it's the first, then having four wolves to draw off enough pain for him to heal is better than two."

"And we get Alison and Lydia in case it's the latter and we can somehow talk some sense into him while he's unconscious." Scott climbed into the passenger seat of Derek's truck. 

"Exactly."

* * *

"What's going on?" Ethan said as he and Aiden fell into step with Derek and Scott in the hallway to Isaac's room.

"Isaac's not healing," Derek said sharply, pace quickening.

Aiden stopped dead. "And you thought you could rope us into pain sucking patrol?"

Scott turned on his heel. "You guys want to be pack?"

"You know we do," Aiden said.

"Then act like pack," Scott said sharply. He stalked to catch up with Derek outside of Isaac's door.

His mom was waiting for them. "The girls I don't mind, but them?" Melissa asked, indicating the twins and glaring sharply.

"Four werewolves to split taking the pain away," Derek said. "When I saved Cora, I sacrificed my Alpha powers; trying the same for Isaac would kill any one of us. Even Scott."

"Fine, I can give you ten minutes," Melissa said. "I'll be outside."

"You should come in," Derek said. "He might... it might not jut be the pain. He needs to hear the people who love him calling for him."

Melissa shot Derek a dirty look as she pulled open the door. "Maybe you should wait outside."

"No chance," Derek said.

Aiden stalked past them. "I'll take pain first, then keep watch while you sentimental idiots try to save this jerk."

"Aiden, Isaac isn't a jerk. And you're not helping our case," Ethan said, following him.

Lydia rolled her eyes and followed past them.

"Lydia, why do you put up with that asshole?" Derek asked.

She turned, mouth in a pout, eyes narrowed. Derek was really glad Banshees didn't have death glares. 

"Do you approve of anyone the Pack's dating?" Allison huffed glaring at him.

"Kira seems nice enough," Derek said.

"If Stiles were here, he'd call you a suck up," Lydia said.

"Later," Scott said, herding Allison, Derek, and Melissa into the room.

Aiden stalked out, dodging around them and nearly tipping over. "Careful it's like plugging a toy car into the electric mains."

Derek let Scott keep pushing him past, resisting the urge to smack Aiden. Hard.

Ethan let go of Isaac's hand. "I'll be outside with Aiden. Let me know if you need something."

"Hey buddy," Derek said, taking Isaac's hand. "Did they help at all?" The burns were still dark, Isaac's skin wrinkled and black and blue. Derek winced, wishing he could take them himself instead of Isaac having to suffer more. Black veins crept up his hand of their own accord. "I'm here. I'm right here." He squeezed Isaac's hand gently, then tried to pull away, but Isaac's fingers wrapped around his hand-- Derek could've pulled away, Isaac was very weak, but he tightened his hand again and looked up at Melissa. "I thought you said he was unresponsive; he's holding onto my hand."

"Isaac, can you hear me?" Melissa asked, touching his cheek. Isaac didn't move.

"He didn't hold my hand earlier," Scott said.

"He's not holding mine now," Allison said from Isaac's other side. Derek glanced up, seeing her frown. "Isaac? I'm here. I miss you."

"Let me try," Scott said.

Allison moved to the side, hand lingering on Isaac's until Scott could slide his into place. She slid her fingertips along Isaac's, not breaking contact until the last possible second. Scott took a deep breath, then black veins started to creep up his hands.

Derek counted thirty seconds and the veins were still coming. "Scott, careful, we don't want you out of commission too."

"He's really hurting a lot," Scott whispered as the veins stopped. "Are they even giving him painkillers?" He released Isaac's hand and started to pull away, but Isaac's fingers folded around his hand. Scott gripped Isaac's hand again. "He's got me, but he's really weak."

"Same here," Derek whispered.

"His arm looks better, maybe it's working." Lydia touched an unblemished part of Isaac's arm. "You know, Isaac, if you wanted everyone's attention, you didn't have to go and get electrocuted."

Derek looked down at Isaac's arm, the wounds had gone from the angry black and blue of a fresh wound to the faded purple of an old bruise, though the skin was still striated and crinkled.

"It's working, but slowly," Derek said. "We have a little while?"

"Not long," Melissa said. "Once he's better, we'll be able to sit with him, but for now..."

Derek sighed.

"Hear that Isaac? We can stay longer when you're better." Allison reached out, carefully touching Isaac's cheek.

"Look, Isaac, you need to get better or I'm going to have to split myself in half," Scott said. "Stiles is at Deaton's--he's got a plan to get rid of the Nigutsene and I have to help, but I don't want to leave you. Hurry up, OK?"

The crinkles weren't leaving his skin yet, but the bruising was definitely better. Melissa's watch beeped.

"All ready?" Derek asked. Isaac was still clinging to him, grip too weak for Derek's liking.

"Don't go," Isaac croaked.

"Honey, you're not supposed to have visitors; I'm bending the rules a lot all ready," Melissa said, stroking Isaac's cheek again.

Derek gave Isaac's hand a firm squeeze. "You need to rest. We'll be back, OK? Just rest up and get better. The sooner you're better, the sooner they'll let us stay with you."

"Or you heal really fast and we'll plan a jailbreak," Lydia teased.

"'kay," Isaac murmured. His grasp on Derek opened. The burns on his arm were giving way to smooth skin.

Derek let go reluctantly. Melissa placed a soft kiss on Isaac's uninjured forehead. Derek contemplated doing the same, but Scott gently steered him towards the door before he could move in that direction.

They trooped out of the room into the hallway, heading towards the lobby.

"Where's Stiles?" Aiden asked.

Scott sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair.

"I'll call Deaton and check on him, you fill them in." Derek pulled out his phone.

Scott looked at Derek, eyes wide and maybe a little moist.

"You know more than I do, Scott." Derek patted Scott's shoulder, then walked several paces away to make the call.

* * *

Scott climbed into the passenger side of Derek's truck, closed the door, and leaned against the window.

"Seatbelt," Derek prompted as he started the engine.

Scott complied then leaned back, closing his eyes. Derek put the car into gear, pulled out of the parking lot, and turned towards town.

Scott opened his eyes. "Derek, the clinic's the other way."

"Stiles's dad is with him," Derek said. "Deaton says there's nothing we can do until he wakes up, and you're dead on your feet. Even if your mom hadn't asked me to take you home, I would be."

"I don't want to go back there, it'll be empty." Scott rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Your other choice is my couch, but Peter's home."

"No thanks. I could make up Isaac's bed for you?" Scott said hopefully.

"I doubt Isaac would appreciate coming home to my scent all over his room," Derek answered. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, eyes drifting to the driver's side mirror to compose himself before returning to Scott. His real concern was that with Isaac's scent filling his lungs, he'd spend the night worrying with Isaac's scent filling his lungs. "I'll crash on the couch if you really want me to stay."

"Deal," Scott said. He closed his eyes again.

Derek had the distinct impression he'd be manhandling Scott into bed. Compared to what lay ahead, though, that was minor. They had a plan and that was half the battle.


End file.
